Troy, Appalachian State ride hot streaks into the Sun Belt championship game
Appalachian State (8-4) at Troy (10-2), Saturday, 4 p.m. EST (ESPN)
Line: Troy by 5 1/2, according to FanDuel.com Sportsbook.
Series record: Appalachian State leads, 8-3.
WHAT’S AT STAKE?
The Trojans are seeking their second straight Sun Belt Conference championship and consecutive 11-win seasons for the first time since 1995-96. The Mountaineers are trying to claim their fifth after winning at least a share of four in a row from 2016-19. They’re 2-1 in Sun Belt title games, losing to Louisiana-Lafayette in their last appearance (2021). Appalachian State has won five games in a row and Troy is riding a nine-game streak.
KEY MATCHUP
The Trojans’ pass rush against Appalachian State’s blockers. The Mountaineers have allowed just 15 sacks, tied for the league low. Troy’s 39 sacks are second in the Sun Belt, and the Trojans have 20 over the past three games. Javon Solomon is tied for second in FBS with 14 sacks, including eight in the last three games. Richard Jibunor has nine sacks and a team-best 16 tackles for loss.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
App State: QB Joey Aguilar replaced injured starter Ryan Burger in the first half of the opener and has thrown 33 touchdown passes, tops among Group of Five passers and third in FBS. His first pass went for a 32-yard touchdown. Aguilar is second in the league in total offense, averaging 295.8 yards per game.
Troy: RB Kimani Vidal is already the program’s career rushing leader and ranks seventh in FBS with 1,349 yards this season, along with nine touchdowns. Vidal already has a pair of 200-yard games this season, running for 248 in the opener against Stephen F. Austin and producing 245 yards and three touchdowns against Arkansas State.
FACTS AND FIGURES
Appalachian State has won seven of the eight meetings since joining the Sun Belt in 2014, including last year’s victory on a 53-yard Hail Mary. … The Mountaineers’ four losses this season have come by a combined 19 points and their last seven defeats have been by seven points or fewer. … Troy has won 10 regular season games in consecutive years for the first time since 1999 and 2000, when the Trojans were FCS members. … Troy safety Dell Pettus has started 59 consecutive games, the nation’s longest active streak. … Troy’s Gunnar Watson is the only one of the 43 sixth-year QBs in the FBS who hasn’t transferred.
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